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Hearty Chicken and Pork Cassoulet with Sausage Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 90 reviews

This traditional French Cassoulet recipe is a hearty, slow-cooked casserole featuring tender cannellini beans, succulent chicken thighs and drumsticks, savory pork belly, and flavorful garlic sausage. The dish is simmered and then baked to create a rich, golden crust layered with intensely satisfying flavors. Perfect for a comforting meal, the cassoulet is prepared with aromatic herbs, vegetables, and tomato paste to deepen the taste.

Ingredients

Scale

Beans and Broth

  • 1 lb. dried cannellini beans
  • 2 tbsp. kosher salt
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 6 sprigs thyme
  • 2 bay leaves

Meat

  • 8 oz. pork belly
  • 4 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 12 oz. garlic sausage

Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste

Instructions

  1. Soak the Beans: In a large bowl, cover the dried cannellini beans with water by 2 inches and stir in the kosher salt. Let the beans soak for at least 8 hours or up to 12 hours. After soaking, drain and rinse the beans thoroughly.
  2. Cook the Beans: In a large pot over high heat, combine the soaked beans, chicken broth, carrot pieces, celery pieces, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the beans are just tender but still have a slight bite. Drain beans into a colander set over a large bowl to reserve the cooking liquid. Discard the cooked vegetables and herbs. Return the drained beans to the pot and set aside.
  3. Prepare the Oven and Cook Pork Belly: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325°F (163°C). In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the pork belly pieces until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork belly to a plate.
  4. Cook the Chicken and Sausage: Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. In the same Dutch oven with the pork fat, cook the chicken over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until the skin is golden brown, approximately 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to the plate with pork belly. Next, cook the garlic sausage in the same pot over medium-high heat, turning occasionally until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the sausage to the plate with the other meats. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot.
  5. Sauté Aromatics: In the Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the finely chopped onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly, about 1 minute.
  6. Assemble the Cassoulet: Combine the cooked onion mixture and pork belly with the beans in the pot and stir well. Scoop out half of the bean mixture into the Dutch oven. Layer the cooked sausages on top, then spoon the remaining bean mixture over the sausages. Nestle the chicken pieces into the top of the bean mixture. Pour the reserved bean cooking liquid over everything until just covered.
  7. Bake and Break the Crust: Transfer the Dutch oven to the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to gently break the crust formed on top, allowing the liquid to surface. Repeat this breaking of the crust three more times every 30 minutes, for a total of four times. Continue baking until the crust becomes a deep golden brown, approximately 1 hour more. If the beans appear dry during baking, add more water or broth along the side of the Dutch oven to keep them just covered.

Notes

  • Soaking the beans overnight helps them cook evenly and reduces cooking time.
  • Use bone-in, skin-on chicken for added flavor and moisture during baking.
  • Breaking the crust regularly keeps the cassoulet moist and distributes the flavors well.
  • If preferred, substitute pork belly with thick-cut bacon or pancetta for similar richness.
  • This dish can be made a day ahead; flavors improve after resting overnight.
  • Maintain a low and slow oven temperature to develop the luscious crust without drying out the beans.

Keywords: cassoulet, French casserole, slow-cooked beans, chicken cassoulet, hearty bean stew, pork belly, garlic sausage

Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/hearty-chicken-and-pork-cassoulet-with-sausage-recipe/